High Strung: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, and the Untold Story of Tennis's Fiercest Rivalry

“A book full of aces. . . . A true page-turner.” —Associated Press

A compelling analysis of the four greatest, enigmatic talents whose dénouements marked the end of the golden era of tennis—a riveting investigation that centers upon the fabled 1981 U.S. Open match between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe

The golden age of tennis came crashing down suddenly at the 1981 U.S. Open when the stoical Swede, Björn Borg, lost to his brash young rival, John McEnroe, in the final at Flushing Meadows. Through the lens of that era's final tournament, and the play of the other semifinalists, Jimmy Connors and Vitas Gerulaitis, High Strung chronicles the lives and careers of the men who made those Wild West days of tennis so memorable: "Ice Borg," who secretly harbored an inner madman; McEnroe, the tortured, bratty genius; Connors, the game's beloved blue-collar anti-hero; Ilie Nastase, the Romanian clown; Gerulaitis, the New York charmer; and Ivan Lendl, who became a harbinger of tennis's high-powered future. The struggles these men shared were as compelling off the court as they were on.

The golden age of tennis came crashing down suddenly at the 1981 U.S. Open when the stoical Swede, Björn Borg, lost to his brash young rival, John McEnroe, in the final at Flushing Meadows. Through the lens of that era's final tournament, and the play of the other semifinalists, Jimmy Connors and Vitas Gerulaitis, High Strung chronicles the lives and careers of the men who made those Wild West days of tennis so memorable: "Ice Borg," who secretly harbored an inner madman; McEnroe, the tortured, bratty genius; Connors, the game's beloved blue-collar anti-hero; Ilie Nastase, the Romanian clown; Gerulaitis, the New York charmer; and Ivan Lendl, who became a harbinger of tennis's high-powered future. The struggles these men shared were as compelling off the court as they were on.

“[A] compelling new book. . . well researched. . . . The narrative occasionally changes tack and explores the history of tennis, or offers us chapter-long portraits of the careers of Jimmy Connors, Vitas Gerulaitis and other players, but such digressions serve only to temporarily becalm the drama. When the book returns to the main event the narrative probes and explores the psychology of both players without ever becoming too speculative, and the author has a good ear for an expressive phrase.” - The Guardian

“This is good stuff, and it’s written with flair. In fact, it made me want even more. ” - The Oregonian

“A book full of aces. . . . Even for those who know the outcomes of the many matches he recounts, Tignor’s descriptive prose and flair for dramatic writing make “High Strung” a true page-turner.” - Associated Press

"Superb. . . Tignor writes beautifully about the sport." - Sports Illustrated